Soldiers from the 412th Engineer Command showed their appreciation for care packages Monday by giving a flag and certificate to the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The group from Post 2572 sent eight large boxes of books, magazines, toiletries, snacks and other goodies to the soldiers soon after they arrived in Afghanistan in October, said Pat Tinney, auxiliary president.

“We just wanted to send something over there to remind them that people in Vicksburg remember. It was just a small gesture,” Tinney said. She added receiving the recognition was “quite an honor.”

The flag flew over Kabul, Afghanistan, for Veterans Day and during November 2009 said Sgt. Paul Henson, part of Task Force Power.

He said service men and women from the Marines, Air Force as well as the Army shared in the gifts.

Henson left Vicksburg in August for training at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg with about 60 other soldiers from the 412th before deploying to Afghanistan in October. He’s home on leave.

The soldiers have been overseeing engineering operations such as construction and digging wells as well as electrical issues.

Ruby Boggan, senior vice president of the auxiliary, said the group sent the packages because their own husbands were not given care packages during their service in Vietnam.

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Contact Tish Butts at tbutts@vicksburgpost.com